Stefan is a Distinguished Professor emeritus in the department of chemistry at Kansas State University. He received his B.S. and PhD in chemistry from the University of Saarland, Germany. He was a postdoctoral research associate at Columbia University from 1991-1993, and was then an assistant professor and subsequently an associate professor in the department of chemical and process engineering at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany, where he also received his PhD in chemical and process engineering. His areas of interest are organic and inorganic synthesis, (nano) particulate systems, and soft matter, and he has more than 200 publications and 14 patents.